The Pull List: BLACK PANTHER VS DEADPOOL, CODA, BATGIRL, and More

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Greetings, comic book lovers! It’s Wednesday, also known as “The Best Day of the Week,” because it’s New Comic Book Day. This week is loaded with awesome stuff, but don’t worry—we have a few recommendations to help you sort through the chaos. And for you big spenders out there, we also have a complete list of this week’s releases, in case you need to know exactly how many variant covers there are this week.

As usual, we may touch on a plot detail or two below, which means you are officially entering spoiler territory. You’ve been warned, friends.

BLACK PANTHER VS DEADPOOL #1

The “Vs. Deadpool” books are always a good time, but they rarely hit the absolutely-must-buy threshold. That is, of course, until now, thanks to Black Panther Vs. Deadpool #1. Writer Daniel Kibblesmith is a perfect fit for Deadpool. This book is funny, deranged, and action-packed. Plus, the frantic energy of artist Ricardo Lopez Ortiz is a true sight to behold. Black Panther Vs. Deadpool #1 acknowledges what it is and embraces it fully. From the scene where Deadpool explains how these mini-series are structured to the moment he leaps at Black Panther screaming, “Small misunderstanding!” Black Panther Vs. Deadpool #1 plays its part wonderfully. You already know how this series is going to play out, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be tons of fun in the meantime. Kibblesmith and Ortiz are a creative team going for broke and swinging for the fences, which is exactly what a book like this needs.

ALIENS DUST TO DUST #3

The wait between issues of Aliens: Dust to Dust is long but worth it. Gabriel Hardman continues to paint a bleak, visceral story that will leave you with nightmares. There are no easy moments in this book, no chances to catch your breath or collect your thoughts. Some Alien comics build and crawl toward their horror and scares, but not Aliens: Dust to Dust. The characters are always running, death is always just a step behind them. Hardman’s brushy, dark artwork adds to the sense of chaos and discomfort, creating a stunning vision of darkness and gore. No fan of the Aliens franchise should skip this book. Hell, no fan of good horror and fast thrills should skip this book. It’s everything you could ask for and more.

BATGIRL #28

The saga of Batgirl versus Grotesque is barreling towards an explosive ending and we can’t wait to see how this all shakes out. Mairghread Scott has run Bargirl ragged throughout this arc, which has also allowed us to see the strength and determination of the character as she pulls herself from the brink and finds the will to keep fighting. It’s good stuff and part of what makes Batgirl a more human character than Batman. This issue is light on action, which gives artist Pual Pelletier a chance to shine in more character-driven moments. A heartfelt scene between Gotham’s most prominent Gordans, for instance, tugs at the heartstrings and carries some real emotional weight. This series continues to be one of our favorite DC titles, which is really saying something when you consider how great the publisher’s lineup is as of late.

CODA #6

We’re gonna keep saying this until we’re blue in the face: You need to be reading Coda! This book is an utter delight and you absolutely need it in your life. You need Simon Spurrier’s madcap characters and strange world. You need Matias Bergara’s psychedelic storytelling. Coda is chaos and madness—a pure concoction of energy, action, and love. From the first page to the last panel, Coda is nothing short of brilliant.

RETURN OF WOLVERINE #2

The mystery surrounding Wolverine’s return has only deepened with Return of Wolverine #2. We get more questions than answers in this issue, which is just fine when you have Charles Soule and Declan Shalvey steering this ship. Any day we get Shalvey drawing some superhero action is a good day indeed. His smooth, articulate style really shines in this issue, especially during a bloody claw battle between Logan and a nameless foe. Logan may not be any closer to finding out just how it is that he returned to the land of the living, but that’s okay because the longer this ride lasts the better. Return of Wolverine is a bloody good time.

That’s it for us this week! Let us know what comics you are picking up in the comments below!